Employer and time off - I’M REALLY FED UP

[Redvee]

Luckily for me my hospital appointments are usually before 10 am and I work 14-22 so need to worry about taking time off for those appointments however if there are appointmetns that are later in the day and makes starting on time impossible then I'll be given paid leave, usually 2 hours and start at 16:00. I have been given full shifts off work paid with no loss of holiday for retinopathy checks.
My employer/union classes diabetes as a hidden disability and is understanding to my needs and that I need to have time away from the shopfloor for BG checks etc. My absence in work has been vey good with no abscence/illness T1 related, the last period of abscence from work was cause of a cycle accident and the 4 week abscence was due to muscle injuries, previous to that I was out for 10 days with a bad cold. There are several other diabetics in work on different shifts so can't comment about them but the other on my shift had too many abscences in 12 months and had doctors notes to confirm these were down to diabetes for one reason or another and the union managed to get the trigger level raised to four abscences instead of three.

 

[bmtest]

Employers vary a great deal yours seems to operating in last century mode so you need to take control of this one as they have done a good job of getting you down.

- First off check what the company policies are on sickness
- you are allowed to self cerify
- Read up on what CAB have on their website
- look at the stats for sicknes in your companies line of work & compare with the time you have had off.
- Back up your sickeness with trip to Doctors

Warnings are nothing but a blank threat in 99% of cases,I was off last year on seperate occassions with fluu only to be dragged into back to work interview with HR mangager. I was told there is a pattern which I replied "I cannot help you employ me in a pattern format Mon - Fri" and 5 days are weekdays and 2 belong to weekend and prompted to ask what type of pattern was at as well as asking if I had exceeded the % for this business sector.

I finalised the interview with if I am sick I am sick if I am well I am well if you want me to come in when I am sick put it in writing and I will deal with it on that basis. Other classic anymore time of sick and it will be trip to Occy help for this the response is lets go now.

In summary work is difficult with Diabetes you have to accept that, I have the booked chucked at me over years but society will try to pick on the weak and ill so keep one step ahead and educate yourself and learn to take control of the interview and turn the tables eventually things will get easier the table will turn.